The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

Production Notes West Coast News Items Hollywood — So that its readers may keep abreast of the times, be in the know on the major developments and interesting sidelights, The Exhibitor offers the following items from the various lots. Metro-Goldivyn-Mayer “Florian,” based on Felix Salten’s widely read novel, has gone into production, with Robert Young and Helen Gilbert appearing in the first scenes under the direction of Edwin L. Marin with Winfield R. Sheehan as producer. Cast includes Irina Baronova, world famous dancer, Charles Coburn, Reginald Owen. Paramount Hollywood, which has paid publishers millions of dollars for movie rights to books, has reversed this procedure for the first time, by selling an original story, written specifically for the screen, to New York publishers for adaption as a novel. This was revealed in an announcement that publishing rights to “Memo to a Movie Producer,” purchased by Paramount for production by Arthur Hornblow, Jr., have been sold to the New York firm of Duell. THE EXHIBITOR Sloan & Pearce, Inc. Ketti Frings, author of the original story who has been working on the screenplay with Charles Brackett and Manuel Reachi, has been granted leave of absence by Paramount to do the novelization. John Howard has endowed a chair at Western Reserve University, his alma mater. Harry Sherman enters the home stretch of his 1939 production schedule with “The Man From Bar 20,” the first of his final two Hopalong Cassidy pictures for the year now before the cameras. Final production, expected to be completed before Christmas, will be tentatively titled “Hold Your Horses.” “The Man From Bar 20” is being directed by Lesley Selander. John Arledge wins the important role of Sam Byers in Paramount’s old time college classic, “At Good Old Siwash,” now before the cameras, with Ted Reed directing. Arledge will be seen as a fellow student and confidante of William (Golden Boy) Holden. RKO-Radio The choice role of Ginger Rogers’ father in “The Primrose Path,” goes to Miles Mander. For the past year Mander has been directing for Gaumont films in Australia and his last movie role was as Henry the Sixth in “The Tower of London.” Selection of Mander by Gregory La Cava, producer-director, completes the cast of principals. Others are Ginger Rogers, Joel McCrea, Marjorie Rambeau, Queenie Vassar, and Joan Carol. 13 Final titles have been selected for two pictures, recently completed. “Two Thoroughbreds” will be the release title of the picture filmed as “Sunset.” “Married and in Love” takes the place of “Distant Fields.” Republic Roy Rogers cut short his personal appearance tour to start work on the historical western, “Days of Jesse James.” Rogers is now before the cameras supported by Pauline Moore, George “Gabby” Hayes, Donald Barry, Fred Bums, and Jack Ingram. Associate producer Joe Kane is directing. In preparation are scripts on “Down Mexico Way,” title of a forthcoming western, and on “The Great Diamond Robbery.” 20th Century-Fox Zane Grey’s last novel, “Western Union,” has been purchased for future production. Mae Marsh, star of many a D. W. Griffith movie including “The Birth of a Nation,” will play one of the principal feature roles in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” United Artists — Lesser William Wyler has been engaged as director of “Our Town.” The making of the deal was Wyler’s last act in Hollywood before leaving for Tucson, Arizona, where SHORTS PRODUCERS ARE REWARDED. The Tele-View Theatre, devoted to the showing of news reels and short subjects in Los Angeles, had the idea that fine productions should be finely rewarded. Accordingly, the theatre conducted a poll of its patrons, and last week awarded trophies for outstanding works. Here are presented, exclusive to The Exhibitor, photographs of the winners. Top row, left to right, are Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s James A. FitzPatrick, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Pete Smith, Paramount News’ Los Angeles representative Marshall McCarrow, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s John Nesbitt. Along the bottom row, left to right, are Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Carey Wilson, Vitaphone’s Leon Schlesinger, Vitaphone’s Gordon Hollingshead, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Jack Chertok all of whom appear very proud of the honor, November 22, 1939 QUAD.